But treat an American variety they way the European maltsters do and I bet my suspicion is accurate ish.
One thing I've learned from the podcasts is that American varieties, and even American-grown European varieties, really have to be handled differently. The S/T has to be pushed higher, not for its own sake, but because it goes hand in hand with beta glucan reduction, breakdown of cell walls to make starch available, and many other things. Yes, it gives American malts higher DP, as well as FAN. But you can deal with that in process. Otherwise the malt will lack good capacity for flavor and color development, will perform poorly in the brewhouse, and the beer will not clarify well (or taste very exciting.) I just finished a keg I brewed with locally grown KWS Scala, locally floor malted to European specs. I think I saw all of those problems. I'd have to try the same barley malted in the conventional US way to be sure. But this malt wasn't European-like, it was just disappointing.